OBJ: INVESTIGATE CONCUSSIONS AND THEIR SHORT AND LONG TERM EFFECTS OBJ: EXPLAIN THE PROCESS FOR ASSESSING A POSSIBLE HEAD INJURY Concussions

Warm-up MEMORY GAME Directions: You will hear a series of numbers. Do your best to record what you hear? After you finish each part discuss with your neighbor how you did? What if remembering two digits was as hard as remembering 12 numbers?

Concussion Concussion: traumatic brain injury that alters the way your brain functions Bell Rung Documentary documentary-on-nfl-concussions/

Trailer to “League of Denial”

CDC’s Concussion Quiz Take the following quiz to assess your knowledge on concussions

TED TALKS: Concussion he_brain_against_concussion Is the risk of head injury worth the reward?

Signs and Symptoms of Concussions Headache or a feeling of pressure in the head Temporary loss of consciousness Confusion or feeling as if in a fog Amnesia surrounding the traumatic event Dizziness or "seeing stars" Ringing in the ears Nausea Vomiting Slurred speech Delayed response to questions Appearing dazed Fatigue

Signs and Symptoms of a Concussion Some symptoms of concussions may be immediate or delayed in onset by hours or days after injury, such as: Concentration and memory complaints Irritability and other personality changes Sensitivity to light and noise Sleep disturbances Psychological adjustment problems and depression Disorders of taste and smell

Concussion Model for ImPact Test

Treatment for Concussions 1. Going to doctor may be necessary 2. During the first 24 hours after the injury, your doctor may suggest that you have someone wake you up every two to three hours 3. Take over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen (Advil) or acetaminophen (Tylenol) for headaches 4. Get lots of rest 5. Avoid sports or strenuous activity 6. Avoid driving a car for 24 hours or a few months depending on the severity of the concussion 7. Surgery may be required for a serious concussion

Video Clip: Impact of hits h/weighing-health-costs-high-school-football-0 h/weighing-health-costs-high-school-football-0

In recent years, scientists have found signs of a neurodegenerative disease called chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in the brains of deceased athletes who either experienced multiple concussions or played positions where they were exposed to frequent impacts. Symptoms of the disease include increased irritability and impulsivity early on and dementia in later stages. Confirmation a person has CTE requires analysis of the brain after death. According to Ann McKee, a neuropathologist at Bedford VA Medical Center who performs this type of analysis, brains of patients with CTE have unique patterns of abnormal protein tangles and cell loss. McKee has spent years analyzing the tissue of former athletes and war veterans who survive bomb blasts, whose families noticed behavioral changes in their loved ones suggestive of CTE and donated their brains to science. Of the 85 brains her group has analyzed to date, 68 had CTE, McKee says. Concussions: Can you have too many??

CTE Top left: Whole brain section from a 65 year old control subject showing no tau protein deposition Top middle: Whole brain section from John Grimsley showing abundant tau protein deposition in the amygdala and adjacent temporal cortex Top right: Whole brain section from a 73 year old world champion boxer with severe dementia showing very severe tau protein deposition in the amygdala and thalamus The brain degeneration is associated with memory loss, confusion, impaired judgment, impulse control problems, aggression, depression, and, eventually, progressive dementia.

Prevention Wear a properly fitted helmet Follow safe playing techniques

League of Denial of-denial/ of-denial/ As you view a segment of the video, write down 5-10 interesting facts, questions, concerns, or ideas from the video.

Individual Writing Assignment Based on what you have learned in today’s class, choose one or more of the following questions to write a ½ page essay. 1. Is the reward worth the risk? 2. Imagine you are a football player and your team has made it to the state finals. During the practice before the game you sustain a concussion. Would you lie about it so you could play? Why or why not? 3. What should the sports community do about concussions on the professional, college, high school and Pop Warner level? 4. Imagine you are the parent of a child who wants to play football, how would you make your decision whether to let them play or not?